Toy building structure



Jan. 7, 1930.` A. c. FRIEDEL.

TOY BUILDING STRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet l v A Filed April 26, 1927 Jan. 7, 1930. A. c. FRIEDEL TOY BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed April 26, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nl Jan. 7, 1930. A, Q FRIEDEL 1,742,905

ToY BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed April 26, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 u cl cn c' (fn-EZ; kci c" Patented Jan. 7, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i ARTHUR C. FRIEDEL, OF SYRACUSE, NEV YORK, .ASSIGNOR T J. FRIEDEL PAPER BOX COMPANY, 0F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW `YORK TOY BUILDING STRUCTURE Application filed April 26,

This invention relates to toy building blocks involving the use of a multiplicity of similar tubular unit-s of cardboard orequivalent Vcomparatively light and inexpensive ma- 1 55 terial together with floor, ceiling or roof units and cornice units of similar material constructed in such manner that they may be assembled in a wide variety of .architectural designs.

The main object is to produce a relatively large number or architectural designs with a comparatively small number of identical units, the unit being furnished in sets of different numbers accordingto the magnitude '15 of the structures to be built up.

One of the specific objects is toconstruct the units in such form that only three different forms are required for the various designs of the main structure, floors, ceiling, roof,

foundation and cornices. l

Another object is to construct each unit in suchy manner that it may be collapsed into a flat condition thus permitting a large number of the units for each set to be packed in a relatively small space for convenienceV of storage or transportation. y

A further object is to construct one of the sections so that it may be used fora lioor, ceiling, or roof and at the same time to 'pro- 30 vide it with means for interlocking engage of assembling the same will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings in Figure l is a perspective View of one structural, design of which the vassembly of the parts of the distinctive units and the matter 1927. Serial No. 186,696.

various units of a set are Lcapablek of producing.

Figure 2 is an :enlarged vertical sectional View of a series of units showing ,the manner of assembling them in the building of a structural design.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of onesof the detached tubular units.

Figure e is a plan of one of the cornice units, partly broken away vand attened out. Figure 5 is a face view of lthe flat blank from which the tubular unit is formed.

Figure 6 is a face view of a cornice unit similar to Figure 4 except that itis to be used at the corners or angles of the building.

Figure 7 is a face view of the lia-t blank from which the Hoor, ceiling and roof unit is formed.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the unit made from the blank shown in Figure 7.

The units which are to form the main structure of the building are of the same form and size and each preferably consists of a hollow block of cubical form or square in cross section made of cardboard or other light and comparatively inexpensive sheet material unitedand scored at the corners for flexibility and to permit adjacent sides thereof to be folded or collapsed one upon the other in a substantially flat plane for economy in space and yfor convenience of storage and transportation.

For this latter purpose each unit is preferably made from a flat blank V`-lof said sheet material of uniform height from end to end andk provided with transverse score lines -ain uniform spaced relation `from. n

one end and from each other corresponding to the height of the strip to form the four sides thereof, the opposite end of the blank beingextended to form a liap -awhich, when the unit is completed is adhesively secured to the first-named end of the strip as shown more clearly in Figure 3.

The unit as -2- which is to form the lioor, ceiling Vand roof is preferably made of the same material as the'iirst described units and when flattened out or in blank asshown in Figure 7 forms a cross having a substantially at central body ub-m and wings the ontk substantially the same or slightly less width than the central bod -aprojecting from the four sides thereof, said blank being scored at -b along the junctions of the wings -bwith a square central body -bto permit said wings to be readily folded fromA their atrpositions to other positions at subentire .unit maybe telescopically inserted into Y either end of any one of the first described units or either end of the flaps or extensions -bmay be inserted into thecorresponding end of an adjacent unit of the same tierforV holding said units against relative lateral movement as shown in Figure 2;

For example, when the unit -2- is to be used asa floor for any particular room unit and-particularly at the bottom of the structure, two or three ofthe flaps-bmay be inserted from the bottomfupwardly into that Y Yunit leaving the remaining flap or aps extending upwardly'a'long the outside of said unit so that the next adjacent unit or units Vin the same horizontal tier or tiers may be telescopically assembled thereon 'as shown at `the bottom of Figure 2 thereby locking the adjacent units to each other against relative lateral movement. Y

In like manner the units -2` may be assembled in the bottom of each-superimposed unit in the same horizontal plane to form the floors thereof and at the same time permitting the wings or flaps `-bto be used for reinforcing or strengthening the side walls of the superimposed units against distortion from their normal square forms. V Y i One or more, preferably two, of the opposite wings -bare provided with arcuate slits -bssubstantially midway between the adjacent score lines -W- and outer edges of the corresponding wings with their concave sides vfacing outwardly to form 'tongues or limiting stops -b4- which are sufficiently resilient to permit them to be sprung outwardly by Yhand for apurpose presently described.V Y f Y `When it is desired lto use the unit `-2-` as a combined Hoor andV ceiling for anyone of:

the first described units itis preferably inserted in the upper vend of said unit with its `square portion -b- 'at the bottom/whereupon the tonguesj-b'fwill be pressed outwardly by hand so. as to engagethe upper edges of corresponding sides of the unit ,-15

'as shown in Figure 2 thereby limitingv the downward movement of each unit ,2- so that approximately the lower half thereof wardly according to eachV pre-determined e' structural design and these horizontal tiers may be multiplied vertically to anyfheightY desired and the height of each column varied at will to carry out said design.

' When the unit -,2- is to be used as a roof for any one of the upright units it is inverted or placed telescopically within said unit with its horizontal square portion at the top. and its four wings inserted'into the upright unit asv shown in Figure 2 or if necessary one orV Y more of the wings may be inserted into the next adjacent upright unit to assist in embracing the structureV or holding the upper upright sections against relative lateral displacement, it being understood that the upright sections are moreV or less'yielding and that the sections -2- fit snugly within the upright sections and are held against undue downward displacement by friction when desired.

It will also be observed that when the units -1- are assembled one upon'the other and' the ceiling sections are placed in operative position at least some portions of the lower ends of theupright sections -will rest upon j the vupper ends of the underlying sections and will. be held in vertical alinement by the wings of the inclosed floor or ceiling section.

For straight cornice work av cornice section V--inay be used in which case it will be provided with score lines cin transversely spaced relation parallel with one of the straight edges thereof, the opposite edge beingprovided with V-shaped slits --03- which resultsin the formation of tabs 0" between them, such tabs being adapted to enter the 'open upper ends of the tubular secj tions in the same horizontal row adjacent oneV side thereof as, for example, the further side of the bui'ldingfthe walls of the sections entering the slits c.

These cornice strips 3fare preferably made of the same material as the first dey scribed sections and floor or ceiling sections and while they are preferably made of predetermined length they maybelcut trans-V versely. to any desired length in line with one or the other of the slits -V0 according to the number of upright sections, in the horizontal row to which they are applied.

fThe V-shapedY slitsv -0- extend from`the corresponding edge of the strip -3- to the adjacent score line -owhile the portions between the score lines are usually bent outwardly along the lower line and thenup- 5 wardly along the upward line as shown in Figure 2 to produce the desired overhanging of the cornice.

As illustrated. in Figure 2 the tabs -o are inserted in the upper ends of the upright units between one side thereof and the adjacent side of the roof section which increases the friction between the wings of the roof section and upright unit and thence to additionally hold said units in operative position.

The cornice section as -3- for the corners or angles of the building is made 0f the same material as the section -3- and is similarly scored lengthwise but is provided with a transverse score -d and a somewhat larger V-shaped recess -0- extending to the upper score line so that the opposite ends of the strip -3- may be bent upon the score line -cZ- or midway between the opposite edges of the opening k0- at right angles to each other to correspond to the angle of the building to which it is applied.

Otherwise the construction is quite similar to that shown in Figure 4.

It will now be evident that with substantially three units multiplied to any desired extent to constitute a set will suffice for a large number of different structural designs which may be amplified by printing or otherwise impressing upon lthe outer surfaces of the units conventional configurations according to the taste of the makers.

I/Vhat I claim is rl. In toybuilding blocks, an upright unit of square cross-section open at the top and bottom to form the four sides of a room, a roof unit having a square body of substantially the same cross sectional area` as the upright unit and having flaps along its four sides folded at right angles to its body for insertion into the upper end of the upright unit and a cornice unit having score lines in parallel spaced relation lengthwise thereof to fold along said lines, said cornice unit having tabs along the edges to be inserted between the flaps of the roof unit and the inside walls of the upright unit.

2. A toybuilding structure comprising a rectangular tubular upright unit, a box-like ceiling unit having its closed end telescopically inserted in the upper end of the upright unit and its open end projecting above said upright unit, opposite walls of the ceiling unit having their intermediate portions provided with outwardly projecting stops for engaging the upper edges of the corresponding sides of the upright unit for limiting the downward movement of the ceiling unit.

3. A toybuilding structure comprising similar upright rectangular tubular units ar- @5 ranged side by side in juxtaposed relation,

and a box-like floor unit having its upright sides detached from each other at the corners, three of said sides being inserted from the underside upwardly into one of the upright units, and its fourth side inserted from the underside upwardly into the other upright unit.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 22nd day of April, 1927.

ARTHUR C. FRIEDEL. 

